Mapleshade and Birchface
Prologue “Mapleshade, Deerdapple, and Nettlepaw.” Mapleshade lifted herself from her paws in the cool shade of the warriors den as beetail called out her name to go on the morning patrol. “Bye Mapleshade!” A brown tabby tom with a pale brown underbelly and blue eyes, called out to her. “I’ll see you when I get back, Birchface.” The tabby tom nodded. Mapleshade padded up to Beetail, Deerdapple, and her apprentice Nettlepaw. “where are we patrolling today?” she asked Beetail. But it was Deerdapple who responded. “The RiverClan border. Oakster thinks he smelled some of their scent by the border while he was out hunting yesterday night.” Mapleshade nodded. “I think that’s everyone,” said Beetail. “Let’s go.” The patrol set out through the forest to the RiverClan border. Mapleshade loved her territory. she knew every tree, bush, and pawstep. She loved the smells in the air and the flowers just sprouting in the grass. “as long as we are here, let’s hunt.” Said Beetail interrupting her thoughts. The patrol agreed. Mapleshade left to hunt by the river that marks the RiverClan and thunderclan border. She spotted a shrew right away on the rock by the riverbed. slowly Mapleshade crouched down. She creep up until she was a Fox-length away. She got her hind legs ready to jump. Suddenly there was a flash of fur. When Mapleshade looked up, she saw a cream tom with green eyes, staring at her with the shrew in his claws. “Appledusk!” She meowed at the RiverClan tom. “This is thunderclan territory, you have no right to be here, much less hunt here!” She could feel her lips curling back in a snarl. But Appledusk didn’t flinch away at her menacing look. “You now,” He said, pretending like she hadn’t spoken. “I’ve been watching you. Your pretty talented for a thunderclan warrior. “What is that supposed to mean?” “I wouldn’t mind getting to know you a little. Maybe we could hang out tonight at fourtrees. What do you say?” Mapleshade couldn’t believe this tom. She was suppposed to drop everything for him, thunderclan, the warrior code, and Birchface! “I can’t believe you! We both have cats that love us. How could you talk about Reedshine behind her back like that!” Appledusk smiled. “Reedshine is great, but you have it all. Come on. Just one night.” Appledusk brushed his tail against her. Mapleshade lost it. “You think I will drop everything I belive in for a pathetic exuse for a cat such as yourself! You mean nothing to me, and you never will! You are a fox-hearted mouse-brain to think I would even want to be friends with you. I love Birchface! You should be more grateful that Reedshine loves you. If I where her, I would have left you in a heartbeat!” She shrieked. Appledusk looked petrified. He slid the shrew towards her. “I-i think this is yours.” He said. “That’s right. Now get out!” It only took one glare from Mapleshade to get Appledusk on his feet and running to the river with his tail low. the bush behind her quivered and Deerdapple stepped out. “What was that?” She asked Mapleshade turned. “I don’t know. He has never said anything to me before.” “Well, you definitely showed your loyalty to thunderclan and to Birchface when you yowled at him.” Mapleshade laughed. “All he is, Is a stupid arrogant tom.”. when they returned to camp, everyone was amazed at how lucky everyone had been. Beetail got two mice and a jay bird. Deerdapple cougt a squirrel and vole. Nettlepaw managed to haul a small rabbit all the way to camp. And Mapleshade had her shrew and a mouse. “Thats eight pieces of prey! The clan will be full tonight. Great job you guys.” said Oakstar “Send another patrol out There tonight.” He added to Beetail. the rest of the day, Mapleshade had another hunting patrol and the midnight patrol. She sighed as her legs collapsed in her nest next to Birchface. She loved her life, everything a warrior could want. Chapter 1 The sunlight penetrated Mapleshades eyes as she woke up the next morning. It had been a moon since her incounter with Appledusk. At the gathering last night it only took one glance to keep that tom away from her. Mapleshade belly had grown a little bit, but she took no notice. “Birchface! Wake up. We have a patrol together.” Birchface grumbled and rolled over, exposing his soft belly. “Come on you lazy mouse-brain!” She laughed. She pressed her face to his soft belly fur. It was warm. “Alright fine.” Birchface meowed. The two cats headed out to the camp. “Is Flowerpaw coming?” Asked Mapleshade. “I would think so, she is my apprentice.” “Beetail! Ready for the patrol.” The brown tabby tom turned to look at her, a little confused. “The patrol already left.” He said. “Oh no! Did we sleep through it? im so sorry.” now both Beetail and Birchface where starring at her like she just sprouted antlers. “Why are you guys looking at me like that?” “We let you sleep. Because... you know...” Mapleshade tipped her head. “What!?” “You don’t know?” Asked Beetail. “Know what!?” she lashed her tail. Birchface stepped in. “oh, for Starclans sake Mapleshade! Your expecting our kits!” Mapleshade stood there, wide-eyed. Kits!” She was filled with joy. They would be a real family! How could she have been so mouse-brained? Just about the whole clan knew and she didn't. (sorry, its such a short chapter!) Chapter 2 But the happy moment didn’t last long. Thrushclaw came racing into camp. “It’s riverclan! He gasped. They want sunning rocks!” Oakstar came rushing out of his den. “Well we can’t let him!” Beetail strode up to him. “But Oakstar, we are so low on warriors already, how will we be able to fend off the attack?” Oakstar twitched his tail but he ignored his deputy. “Thrushclaw, Deerdapple, Nettlepaw, Beetail, Frecklewish, Birchface, and Flowerpaw. Seedpelt and Stormheart, stay here to protect the camp and especially Rabbitfur.” He said looking at the elder. “Oakstar please, let me fight.” Oakstar glared at Mapleshade. “Your expecting kits! You have the future of the clan at your paws. I can not let you risk your life for a silly border arguement.” Mapleshade galered back. “You and I both know this isn’t just a silly border arguement. I want to Help my clan! There is nothing you can do to stop me doing whats right.” the whole clan was shocked at mapleshades persistence. “I admire your courage, mapleshade. But right now I need you to stay in camp and protect yourself.” Mapleshade sighed and stomped away. “Thank you.” Oakstar called after her. Mapleshade watched the patrol leave, her tail lashing irritably. “Don’t worry Mapleshade.” Comforted Seedpelt. You will have many more battles in the future.” “this isn’t just about the battle, Seedpelt. I’m worried about Birchface. What if something happens and I’m not there to protect him.” The brown and white tom put his tail on her shoulder. “He‘ll be fine.” suddenly Mapleshade felt a rush of panic. what if appledusk is there. If he tells birchface about the event at the border, Birchface might think mapleshade betrayed him. “No.” She said. She got up and shook off seedpelts tail. “I can’t let this happen.” “What do you think you’re doing?” But mapleshade didnt respond. She bounded towards the camp entrance. “Mapleshade, Wait!” But she didn’t care, she needed to fight for her clan. And for Birchface. Chapter 3 as Mapleshade neared the sunning rocks, she started to here the yowls of cats fighting. Mapleshade leaped into battle and started to fight a dark gray tom. This is the deputy! She thought to herself. Riverclans deputy, Spiketail, fought well. she aimed a blow at his face but he dodged it easily. I’m getting slower, ''she thought. Picking up the pace, Mapleshade drew to her full height and nocked the tom off balance. Spiketail was pinned to the ground as she slashed at his expossed belly. He howled in pain. The dark gray tom managed to wiggle out of Mapleshades grip. He then ran away to go find another opponent. ''Ha, that was easy. Soon, Oakstar spotted her, “mapleshade!” He growled. “I told you to stay in camp!” “Sorry Oakstar, couldn’t keep away from the life of the party!” The tortoiseshell she cat panted. Oakstar just growled and ran off to get back into the battle. mapleshade looked around to find someone else, but then she saw it. Appledusk was fighting someone. Not just anyone, Birchface! Appledusk had him pinned at the edge of the rock, behind him, a river flowing rapidly that would swallow up any cat who dares try to concur it. She slammed into Appledusk, knocking him off balance. “Mapleshade!” Gasped Birchface. But the she-cat didnt respond, she had to keep Appledusk off guard. She hit him with another blow. Then another. But when Mapleshade tripped over her own paws, Appledusk was back on his feet in an instant. Appledusk leaped at her exposed belly, claws outstretched. everything suddenly went in slow motion. She could here her heartbeat thumping inside her chest. She could smell the fear scent of herself and the others around her. She barely heard Darkstars yowl, calling for riverclan to retreat. Then she focused on appledusk, who was coming closer and closer. Mapleshade reached up with her hindlegs and pushed off of his belly. The force of the push bounced back on Appledusk, knocking him backwards. Then she realized it. He was flinging strait towards Birchface, then the river. everything spead up again as she heard a splash. mapleshade tried to yowl but someone else did it for her. Birchface’s apprentice, Flowerpaw was running to the river. immediately dove in and grabbed her scruff before she plunged into the depths of the river. “Are you insane! You could have gotten killed!” she said, letting go of Flowerpaw. “He was my mentor!” “He was my mate!” Mapleshade said, raising her voice. She then Realized, all riverclan And thunderclan warriors where watching her, and the river. “Birchface!” mapleshade ran as hard as her legs could go, downstream. she saw a limp, brown, body by the reeds. “No.” Slowly, the she cat padded up to her mates body. “Oh Birchface.” but then she heard coughing, Mapleshade looked up and saw Appledusk, a few tail lengths away. She padded over to him. “You did this.” She snarled. The tom looked up. “and what are you going to do about it? Kill me!” She shook her head and walked past him. “No, I am not a killer.” “We’ll see about that.” He rasped. Then appledusk collapsed onto the ground. both toms where dead. Epilogue mapleshade had her kits. There where three of them, larchkit, patchkit, and birchkit. Larchkit is an energetic dark brown to. Patchkit is almost the opposite of his brother, the tortoiseshell tom likes to stay with his mother at all times. And finally, birchkit. She looks exactly like Birchface in every way possible, so mapleshad decided to name her after her father. “hey Mapleshade.” Called a cat coming to sit with Mapleshade and the kits. It was Frecklewish and the newly made warrior, Flowerheart. The three had become best friends ever since Birchface had died. They where close, with Frecklewish being Birchfaces brother, and Flowerheart being his apprentice. “Oh, hi, Frecklewish, Flowerheart.” Mapleshade greeted them. They settled down and watched the kits play. “im Larchstar, of thunderclan! Patchtail will be my deputy, and birch- um... Birchwing! Can be...” Larchkit trailed off as he looked at his sister. “I can be the the clan warrior that is jealous of my two brothers for being deputy and leader so I plot against them!” “Ok!” Said Larchkit. the three kits played until birchkit finally won against larchkit and Patchkit. “Ha, Ha. I, Birchwing, will now become birchstar! Leader of thunderclan.” she made sure the whole clan heard that last part. “And you will do wonderful things, my little kits. But now it’s time to go to sleep. Then you can wake tomorrow with a bright, new day.” Mapleshade said. “Aww. do we have to?” Said Larchkit. Mapleshade laughed. “You don’t want to be tired for your clan tomorrow do you?” “No!” And with that all three kits scrambled into the nest. They're so much like Birchface. (The End)